Pagano in spotlight after Norton firing
John Pagano’s title with the Raiders has not changed. He remains their assistant head coach — defense, the same role he has held since the Raiders hired the former Chargers coordinator in January.
But after Oakland fired defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. on Tuesday and handed Pagano the reins to the defense, it’s now his task to improve a unit whose struggles this season have contributed to a 4-6 record and Norton’s exit.
Pagano inherited a defense that, through Monday, ranked 26th in yards allowed, 27th against the pass and last or tied for last in sacks, interceptions and opponents’ passer rating.
On Thursday, he said he already had delivered a maxim to the Raiders’ defensive players.
“I talked to these guys this week about, ‘We’ve got to do simple better,’ ” Pagano said in his first comments since the coaching shakeup. “And what is simple — it’s fundamentals of covering. It’s tackling. It’s communicating. It’s catching the ball when it comes to you.”
Taking over a defense with six games left in the regular season for an Oakland team still hoping to make the playoffs might not allow Pagano to make sweeping changes right away. In terms of personnel, Pagano said the “same guys are going to go get it” beginning Sunday at home against the Broncos.
Asked how the defense might look different under him, though, Pagano gave a list of areas to address.
“We just have to go out and we have to play better,” Pagano said. “We have to coach better. We have to do a lot of things different. We have to create turnovers. I think that’s the biggest thing missing from any defense.
“You have to get off the field on third down. We have to go out there and affect the quarterback and make him uncomfortable. And I think when those things happen, it gives you that confidence to keep doing the things that you want to do.”
The Chargers’ defense was opportunistic last season under Pagano, tying for the league lead with 18 interceptions. The Raiders have zero interceptions through 10 games and six takeaways total, part of their minus-9 turnover margin that Del Rio cited as a major factor in their record.
Pagano, whose primary focus this season has been the secondary, said he thinks the defensive backs who have been available have “adjusted well” to injuries in the group but still must do a better job of finishing plays.
“It’s the opportunities that we’ve missed,” Pagano said. “It started with Week 1 having two (potential interceptions) that went right through our hands — not like a tough play here and there, just catching.
“You’ve just got to make those plays when they come to you.”
The Raiders, despite having Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack rushing off the edge, also are tied for the fewest sacks in the NFL with 14, after finishing last in that category last season. Pagano again attributed that number to “opportunities.”
“We’ve had ample opportunities,” Pagano said. “It comes down to finishing. We talk about it all week. Anytime you get the opportunity to get the quarterback, it’s, ‘A guy fell here, a guy missed here, that opportunity to get him down.’
“It goes the same way with our turnovers. Ball’s on the ground last week (against the Patriots), we’ve got three guys standing over it, we’ve got to jump on it. It changes the game.”
Head coach Jack Del Rio stated this week that he wants the Raiders’ defense to play “faster” than it did under Norton. Pagano was asked how that might be achieved.
“I think the one thing we’re trying to truly establish — and I think the main thing is you’ve got to do it in a couple of days — you’ve got to play with confidence,” Pagano said. “You’ve got to have that ability of going out there, knowing your assignment and playing faster.
“There’s been times that we’ve simplified things. But taking the thinking out of the game and making (the players) react is I think most important. Going out there and playing fast — that’s doing the little extra things of attention to detail, studying and getting those things processed. See ball, go get ball.”